Block 4: The Bhagavad-Gita: Reading the Text in Modern Hinduism
Examination of the use of the Gita as a Pan-Hindu text by locating it within the epic story of Mahabharata and Vedanta philosophies. We will look at the significance of the text for Vaishnava Hindus in particular, as well as its appropriation by neo-Hindu organizations, its use in Indian nationalism, and its role in current Indian cultural consciousness in India and the West.
1 unit - Penumala.

Block 8: Hinduism and the Modern World
Investigation of modern challenges to Hindu society. We will cover such questions as the concept of Hinduism as a homogenous faith, new movements within Hinduism, conversion to (and from) other faiths, environmental and medical ethics, adaptation of disaspora Hindus to host societies, and new approaches to long-standing problems, such as dowry and female foeticide. 1 unit - Penumala.

202 Religious Ethics. Study of the resources different religious traditions employ in ethical reflection and how those resources contribute to resolving debates about the morality of specific actions. Class discussion will focus on cross-cultural case studies in the areas of sexuality, politics, economy, ecology, and medical ethics. (Meets the Alternative Perspectives: B requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit – Weddle. 

203 Religious Experiencee. The out-of-body journey of the shaman, a quiet act of prayer, the ecstasy of the Christian mystic, the enlightenment of the Buddhist monk, the reverie of the nature lover, “speaking in tongues” among Christian charismatics—these are examples of what many call “religious experience” and regard as the very essence of religion. This course will examine primary texts that testify to the reality and power of religious experience in various traditions and will acquaint students with scholarly analyses of the claims of devotees and adepts. At least one previous course in Religion strongly recommended. (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit.

204 Readings in Religion. Directed readings and research in comparative study of religious traditions or in different interpretive approaches within a tradition. Courses under this rubric will not be counted toward fulfillment of distribution requirements of the major or minor in Religion. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. 1 unit.

211 The Message and Ministry of Jesus. This course will introduce students to contemporary efforts to recover the “historical Jesus” from the confessional literature of early Christianity (primarily the New Testament Gospels) and, using several recent scholarly reconstructions of Jesus, will attempt to delineate the principal emphases of the Nazarene’s ministry and message in the context of first-century Palestinian Judaism. (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit.

212 The Parables of Jesus. A study of selected narrative parables of Jesus that will focus on these issues: Why did Jesus tell parables? What kind of discourse are they and how did they "work" in the context of Jesus’ ministry? What do they reveal about Jesus’ understanding of God and human life? How were they interpreted (and modified) in the early Jesus movement? (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit.

213 Apocalypse. A study of the apocalyptic imagination and its visions of a dramatically new order of existence in Jewish and early Christian writings (particularly Daniel, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Revelation) and in contemporary American life. 1 unit — Schwarz.

215 Morality and Ethics In the Bible. An examination of the moral visions of the Bible as they find expression in the stories of Genesis, the laws of the Torah, the sermons of the prophets, the complaints of Job, the accounts of Jesus’ message and ministry in the Gospels, the letters of the apostle Paul, and the visions of Revelation. Intruding from time to time will be the question, “In the Bible does God always act morally?” (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit.

221/222 Hebrew. A brief survey of Semitic languages, focusing on the reading and writing of Hebrew phonology, grammar and syntax. Simple biblical and modern prose will be studied. Adjunct credit will be available to those students who pass an entrance examination indicating sufficient previous study for skill maintenance. .5 unit - Chumash.

224 Jewish Music. This interdisciplinary course traces the many musical traditions of the Jewish world communities in a journey from the ancient Temple singing in bliblical times to the music of individuals such as George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein. Included will be a comparative study of the three major religions of the Western world exploring their respective voices and musical interaction. Sociology, literature, religion, and history, as well as issues of ethnicity, cultural unity and self-expression will be engaged in this multicultural search for musical identity. (Also listed as Music 224). (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) 1 unit – Ben-Amots.

225 The Dalai Lama of Tibet: Philosopher, Statesman, Monk. Examination of the Dalai Lama’s achievements in statesmanship, Buddhist philosophy, inter-religious dialogue, and conversation with Western scientists and intellectuals. Attention to why this man was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, his religious status among faithful Tibetan Buddhists, political issues involved in the international movement for Tibetan autonomy, and what the American fascination with this “simple Buddhist monk” tells us about ourselves. (January half-block.) (Also listed as Asian Studies 225.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) .5 unit —Gardiner.

231 Philosophy of Religion. An examination of critical questions philosophers raise about religious claims and a consideration of how religious thinkers respond to those criticisms. Topics of discussion include religious experience, arguments for God, problem of evil, immortality, religious pluralism.   1 unit – Weddle.

251 Feminist Religious Thought.  An introduction to feminist theology and ethics in the Christian and Judaic traditions, with attention to feminist thought in Asian religions as well. Topics include God, love, justice, community, liberation, sexuality, reproduction, and social transformation. (Also listed as Feminist and Gender Studies 249.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit.

281 Religious Poetry in Asia. Poetic traditions in China and Japan and in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. Topics will include poetry as an expression of the heights and depths of religious experience, as a vehicle for spiritual growth, and as a literary form of prestige and power. We will look at poetry of liberation by early Buddhist nuns, praises of transcendent wisdom by Tibetan spiritual virtuosos, links between verse and painting in China, and the relationship between Japanese haiku and Zen aesthetics. (Also listed as Asian Studies 160.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit.

291 Black Religion in America. Studies in the religious life of African-Americans from the 17th century to the present. Particular attention to religious organizations, theological formulations and experiential patterns of Black Americans and the relationship of those phenomena to American religious life in general. (Also listed as American Cultural Studies 227.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit.

292 Wilderness and Spirit. An examination of the notion of wilderness in religious traditions as a location for encountering and fostering spirit. The course includes off-campus experiential learning opportunities. (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit – Coriell.

300 Topics in Religion. Advanced study of a topic in religious studies.
1 unit.

Block 4: Magic and Religion
Advanced study of the relation between magical texts and practices and the religions of the late antique Mediterranean world. 1 unit - Schwarz.

Block 6: Islam in the Americas
Advanced course on the growing presence of Muslim communities in North and South America, including examination of strategies of accomodation and identity maintenance, especially in the United States following the attacks of September 11, 2001. 1 unit - Wright.

Block 6: Hindu Goddesses: Maintenance and Subversion of Tradition
Examination of various mythological traditions pertaining to Hindu goddess worship. We will look at Vaishnavite, Shaivite and Tantric goddess narratives and consider whether they can be viewed as homogeneous or if they represent fundamentally different theologies and ritual traditions. Finally, using the example of Sri Lakshmi in South Indian Vaishnavism, we will examine the role of the goddess in the scheme of salvation, comparing medieval Hindu debates of the question with Christian reflection on the role of works versus grace in salvation. 1 unit - Penumala.

302 Seminar in Theory and Method. Investigation of theories of the origin and function of religion and of academic methods of religious studies through close reading of classic and contemporary texts. Prerequisite: Declared religion majors or consent of instructor. 1 unit –- Weddle.

321/322 Hebrew. Advanced work in Semitic languages, focusing on the reading and writing of Hebrew phonology, grammar and syntax. Adjunct credit will be available to those students who pass an entrance examination indicating sufficient previous study for skill maintenance.
.5 unit – Chumash.

331 The Idea of God (With Emphasis on Writing). Ways of thinking about, and imagining, the reality of God. Critique of traditional symbols of God and comparative analysis of alternatives proposed by religious writers in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions and represented in selected films. Prerequisite: Religion 130 or Religion 231 or consent of instructor. (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit – Weddle.

332 The Question of Faith. An examination of faith as a general human disposition exercised in belief, loyalty, and confidence. Religious faith in the monotheistic traditions is the specific disposition to believe in the reality of God and to be assured and directed in a life of fidelity to God and to other creatures. The question of faith is how belief is related to reason, whether loyalty to God is constrained by moral obligation, and how the passion of faith can be restored when confidence in God has been broken or betrayed, as in the Holocaust. Readings with be drawn primarily from Christian and Jewish sources. Prerequisite: Religion 103 or consent of instructor. (Not offered in 2008-09.) 1 unit — Weddle.

345 Sufism. A study of Sufi traditions in Islam, with a focus on historiography, poetry, dance, and music, as well as Sufi orders in various regions, with attention to South Asia and contemporary expressions of devotion in the West. (Also listed as Asian Studies 341.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) Prerequisite: RE 140 or consent of instructor. 1 unit - Wright.

357 Women in Hinduism and Buddhism. An exploration of constructions of gender and the status of women in Hinduism and Buddhism, with primary focus on normative developments in ancient and medieval India and the impact of this formative history on the lives of contemporary women. Readings from primary and secondary materials, with attention to both ideology and practice. (Also listed as Asian Studies 357 and Feminist and Gender Studies 357.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) Prerequisite: Religion 160 or 170 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

362 Bhakti: Devotion In South Asia. A study of diverse Hindu devotional movements from classical and medieval periods. Primary readings include poetry by both men and women, devotees of Vishnu, Krishna, Shiva, Rama, and the Great Goddess. Critical articles help situate the devotees and their songs in cultural context. (Also listed as Asian Studies 362.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) Prerequisite: RE 160 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

363 Devi: Goddesses of India. A study of various Hindu goddesses, including their iconography and particular powers, as well as the ritualistic ways in which they are worshipped in diverse regions of India, with a glimpse of feminist appropriations of Kali in the West as well. Primary and secondary readings include poetry, theology, and historical-critical studies. Films depict a variety of rituals. (Also listed as Asian Studies 363 and Feminist and Gender Studies 363.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) Prerequisite: Religion 160 or consent of instructor. 1 unit.

371 Seminar in Buddhist Practice. An in-depth look at either a particular practice tradition within Buddhism, such as Zen or Tantric meditation, or on a theme central to various traditions, such as devotional elements, artistic representations, ritual, visualization, and so on. (Also listed as Asian Studies 371.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) (Not offered in 2008-09.) Prerequisite: Religion 170 or consent of instructor. 1 unit — Gardiner.

372 Seminar in Buddhist Philosophy. An in-depth treatment of important themes, or textual traditions, in the history of Buddhist thought. Examples might include topics such as karma, death and rebirth, compassion, or possibly a body of writings from a particular author or Buddhist school. (Also listed as Asian Studies 372.) (Meets the Critical Perspectives: Diverse Cultures and Critiques requirement.) Prerequisite: Religion 170 or consent of instructor.1 unit - Gardiner.

391 Shamanism(s). Critical examination of shamanic experience in the North American plains, Australian bush, Artic expanse, and Amazonian jungles; includes off-campus experiential learning opportunities. Investigates shamanic practices and their relation to the nature of religious experience/experiences through current interpretations of historical traditions and recent neo-shamanic movements. (Also listed as Southwest Studies 200.) Prerequisite: Two Religion courses. 1 unit - Coriell.

404 Readings in Religion. Directed readings and research for advanced students. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. 1 unit.

405 Senior Thesis. Preparation of a thesis on a topic chosen by the student and approved by the department. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. 1 unit.

 

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